Movers such as pumps, compressors, blowers, fans and other apparatus for transporting harsh fluid mediums, and particularly abrasive and corrosive liquids, pneumatic mixtures or slurries, are well known to utilize so called "soft" liners to protect the integrity of the casings and other interior components exposed to the deteriorating environment produced by the fluid medium being transported. The liners typically provided are composed of materials such as natural and synthetic rubbers, neoprene and other elastomeric materials which have demonstrated good wearing quality under such harsh operating conditions.
Although such movers operate well for their intended purposes, and extend the operational life of the mover, periodic inspection, maintenance and replacement of the soft liners is made. Because such liners are completely or at least substantially contained within the mover, the liners are inaccessible during normal operation and hence the degree of deterioration is not readily ascertainable. Accordingly, the movers are often operated until local deterioration of the liner is so substantial that a non-scheduled shutdown must be made. Such shutdowns, not being planned in advance, can result in highly detrimental down time and inconvenience to the operator, and interference with the process system within which the mover is operating. Furthermore, even with scheduled maintenance shutdowns, such liners are oftentimes replaced prior to completion of useful life, in order to avoid the deleterious affects of future unscheduled shutdowns. This results in less than optimum use of the liners, and unnecessary costs in terms of purchase and inventory requirements of liners. It is therefore desirable to provide a manner in which to extend the useful life of such liners which preferably will alleviate unpredictable and unsatisfactory down time.